Apparatus and method for the collection of water



Dec. 23, 1952 E. w. slLlTcH ETAL 2,622,683

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE COLLECTION OF WATER Filed Aug. 7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.I

DEEP WELL PUMPS \MOTOR STARTERS M/vENToRS 2 {06E-Meh. S/L/TCH ADoLPH d'fua/FFRE-r Dec. 23, 1952 E. w. slLlTcH ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE COLLECTION OF' WATER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1947 s n H m; l/ NMD W MMM L M0 EM ATTORNEYS Dec. 23, 1952. E. w. slLlTcH ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE COLLECTION OF WATER Filed Aug. '7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 THE COLLECTION oF WATER Dec. 23, 1952 E w. slLn'cH ET AL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR Filed Aug. 7, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 23, 1952 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE COLLECTION OF WATER Eugene W.

Silitch and Adolph dAudiffret,

Columbus, Ohio, assignors to Ranney Method Water Supplies, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of West Virginia Application August 7, 1947, Serial No. 767,150

Our invention relates to an apparatus and method for the collection of water.

In particular it relates to water production for industrial and municipal use by abstracting water from the ground or by infiltration through permeable beds of rivers or other bodies of water.

It is an object of the invention to provide in or adjacent to a stream or river or other body of water a caisson shaft at the bottom of which, or adjacent to the bottom, are a plurality of radial pipes adapted to deliver the water from the surrounding area into the caisson from which it is pumped to the point of use.

It is an object of the invention to provide the exposure of a large area of water-bearing formation to horizontal screened pipes, extending from the caisson, the number and area of which can be extended at will.

It is a further object to provide for the selective removal of the iine material fromv the aquifer in the vicinity of the screens and the formation thereby of more permeable ground or a gravel pack adjacent to the screen, so that each installation consists oi a series of radiating drainage channels emptying into a central shaft.

It is a further object to provide access to, and independent control of, each radial pipe both during the period of its insertion into the ground and during its operation after being located to thereby permit easy backwashng or ilushing of each screened section separately.

It is an object to provide such horizontal collecting .pipes so that they are located for their entire'length below the drawdown level of the ground water so as to develop a water supply, the temperature and quality of which may be substantially constant and which is derived from the adjacent stream or other body of water after an extended period of movement through the iiltering body of the surrounding ground.

It is an object to provide for the selective removal of fine sand and silt throughout the entire length of the screened pipe lines to form a bed of coarser gravel of very high permeability surrounding each pipe.

It is an object to maintain the velocities sufciently small of the entering water to eliminate the sharp drop in water pressure at the entrance to the screens.

It is a particular object oi this invention to prevent clogging of the screened pipes particularly during insertion into the ground as these pipes are sometimes extended to as much as three hundred feet from their point of origin at the caisson.

7 Claims. (Cl. 16B- 1) It is an object to prevent such pipes from accumulating nes and gravel within them and causing the pipe to sag or bend so that the outer end will rise out of the horizontal plane in which it should normally be located.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a detachable head for the screened pipes.

It is a further object to provide a non-collapsible, adjustable packer and an interiorly arranged adjustable Water removal pipe slidably arranged within guides Within the exterior screened 'pip that is utilized to penetrate the soil. y v

It is an object of this adjustability to regulate the elimination of the fines within the screened pipe to prevent sagging and bending and deflection of the pipe. This invention overcomes this difficulty heretofore met in the art.

It is an object by this arrangement to provide a method by which all of the water entering can be concentrated either at the small entering end of the screened pipe to provide the maximum evacuation of lines or to move the pipe to its second position to give the maximum of turbidity so that if the nes are very nne they may be stirred to prevent clogging and to provide in the third position the maximum water to clean out the sand and gravel in the screened pipe to prevent sagging of the pipe and to permit of easier pushing of the screened pipe into the soil.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a system of valves in the caisson connected to the screened pipe for regulating the ow of Water into the caisson and for regulating the extraction of any entrained fines while at the same time permitting of ready adjustment of the 1nteriorly located, slidable water removal pipe operating within the screened pipe while at the same time providing an adjustable seal between the exterior of the water pipe and the interior of the screened pipe and a permanent seal between the interior of the valve housing and the exterior of the screened pipe.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a typical installation of the apparatus of this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2, looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows, showing the radial arrangement of the screened pipes.

Figure 3 is a section through a portion of the wall of the caisson showing the method of plugging the horizontal hole adapted to receive the screened pipe and'its associated mechanism after the plug is removed.

Figure 4 is a similar View with the screened pipe, its water pipe, packings and valve pipe and valve in located position.

Figure 5 is a detail of the adjustable sealing packer between the exterior of the water pipe and the interior of the screened pipe. In this view the several parts are blown apart t0 show the method of assembly.

Figure 6fis anV end elevation of one ofthe connecting sleeves.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 but at right angles thereto showing in plan View the' arrangement of the several valves for controlling the discharge of water and of any accumulated silt, fines, etc.

Figure 8 is the first of three views (Figures 8, 9 and 10) showing diagraminatically the outer end of the screened pipe, the guides for thewater pipe and the water pipe in section in three adjusted positions.

Figure 8 shows the water pipe at the extreme outer end of the screened pipe adjacent itsV nose.

Figure 9 shows where the water pipe has been retracted to its intermediateposition.

FigureT 10 shows where it has beenv retracted to its rearmost position.

Figure ll isa section on the line |I`II of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the sectional arrangement of the screened pipe at this point. v

Figure 12 is a section on the line I2-I2 of Figure 10, sh'owingn section the port arrangement in the taperedV head of theV screened pipe.

Referring to4 the drawings in detail, I indicates the top of the soil adjacent to a stream 2. 3 indicates the caisson preferably made of concrete adjacent the bottom of which at 4 are a plurality oi radially disposed openings 5 in which are mounted radially disposed, screened pipes and associated mechanism generally designated t. The exit within the caissonfrom the screened pipe 6 is controlled by aV valve l. The water is discharged through the screen-ed pipe, the water pipev 8, valve 'I into the interior ofthe caisson from whence it is pumped by any conventional pumping mechanism designated 9 and discharging through the discharge line ID to the point of use.

This Water pipe 8 is given the name water pipe as a designation but it in effect conveys away the fines with the water and after its removal from the screened pipe; thereafter the screened pipe carries primarily the main body of water which .l

is delivered to the caisson.

It will be noted that the water which is filtered from the stre'ar'r'i 2 down through the ground passes throughy an area designated II of relan tively coarse gravel from which the fines have been removed by the methody hereinafter described so that an area around each screened pipe 6, of relatively coarse gravel of from four to six feet, is provided. The screened collector pipes can be pushed to various lengths and under favorable conditions can be extended more than three hundred feet from theA caisson. Thus, it is possible to project these' perforated, screened pipes, Vfor instance about eight inches in diameter, horizontally into the aquifer through selected levels through the precast port holes 5 in the lower caisson walls. The number of pipes is determined on the basis of capacity of water desired and hydro-geological conditions encountered. As heretofore stated, on the end of each pipe is a gate valve l, to which` is connected an extension stem 'ta extending up through a valve operating platform 'Ib where a handle 'ic provides` meansv of operation for the valve 1. Multiple' stage, deep'well pumps are provided having their columns extending down into the caisson shaft which is a clear well.

The particular problem involved in this a1'- rangement is to drive the screened pipes and associated mechanism in a horizontal plane, to keep them freeof accumulated-fines aridi gravel, to prevent them from sagging' and to prevent them from turning upwardly at the outer ends out of the horizontal plane when they do sag.

The problem is to effect the selective removal of ie'sand and siltthroughout the entire length of the screened pipe lines, to provide an area of coarser gravel, inexcess of four feet, of very high permeability around the pipe. It is this permeable, coa'rse" gravelI generally that delivers the Water in'to' the shaft by means of the projected screenedpipel It is also a problem to seal the water pipe within the screened pipe and seal the screened' pipe with respect to valve control mechanism.

The following are the' detailed constructions cf this invention in one embodiment.

The head 6 of pipe' I4 is provided'with a conical, smeamliriedV nose I2 which is detachable at I3 from the outer end of the main' body of' thev screened piper I4.

and water can enter. In the outer end of the main screened pipe I4, adjacent the inner end' of the nose I2, is an abutment' or plug I6 having a forwardly directed' and constricted tapered opening il terminating in a passageway' I8 lead;

ing from the interior of the main screened pipe I i to the interior of the nose` I2. This inner tapered wall I'I of thev plug' I6 serves as an abutment for the tapered end I9 of the adjustable', slid-.able water pipe 8.

Referring inV detail to Figures 8 to` l2 iricll'isive1 and particularly to Figures 8 to 10 inclusive, it'

will b'enoted that thepipeis in three positions. in normal operation,v as' the screened pipe' s` pro* jected into thelsoil, suflicientY water isintroduced through the openings I5' andthe nose I'2,lbecau's'e' of the fact that all water is concentrated in that small area to evacuate the maximum amount of the fines. Pipe 8 is made upv of sections coupled together as the pipe is projectedy from within the caisson so the said pipe can be of whatever length is necessary.

But in the event that there is not enough waterv entering the head and the maximum of turbidity is desired, then the forward end I9 of the'waterv pipe 8 is retracted to the position shown in Figure 9 within the tubular guide block 20 having the aperture 2| and a tapered interior 22 through which slides the pipe 8. By reason of this maximum turbidity if the fines are very rlne it is possible to prevent the clogging and to secure' the desired flow and the removal of the smaller fines.

In the event that this is not sufficient, then the water pipe 8 is retracted to its position shown in Figure 10 soV as to clean all sand and gravel from the pipes, thereby preventing sagging of the screened pipe andv permitting easier pushing of the screened pipe into the soil.

It will be noted that the screened pipe has a series of openingsV I5 which are larger in the in'- terior of the pipe than the exterior and it is through these openings that the lines,V small gravel and water enter the screened pipe'.

The screened pipe is driven into the soil by any suitable means, such as, hydraulic jacks, and during these adjustment periods removal is made of sand and gravel through the Water pipe 8 to This nose is provided with av plurality of openings I5 through which the nes 5. eliminate bending of the screened pipe due to the fines and gravel.

Now turning to the sealing of the space between the adjustable water pipe 8 and the interior of the screened pipe I4, it will be observed that a plurality of resilient washers 24 are provided to form a sealing packer. The Washers 24 comprise an outer flaring skirt 25 which engages the inside of the screened pipe I4, and an inner skirt 26 which engages the outer surface of the water pipe 8. Between these washers are connecting sleeves consisting of an annular body 21 having flanges 28 and '29 engaging respectively with the inside of one washer and the outside of the next adjacent washer. These flanges are provided with passageways corresponding to similar passageways in the wall 24 so as to connect by rivets or` otherwise the washers and the connecting spacer sleeves 21 to one another to form a flexible chain of washers that will withstand horizontal thrust, will bend with the movement of the water pipe and screened pipe and may be shifted as a body backwardly in pipe I4, or held in place therein through the connecting eye 38, to which is connected an adjusting cable 3l which extends out of the rear end of the screened pipe t4.

This sealing packer is dismountable and can be made in as many sections as is necessary to fit diversied ground conditions. The plate holding the rubber packer cup covers the entire area of the cupbetween its flanged edges, acting as reinforcement and permitting the use of this sealing packer under very high pressure without danger of collapse.

In order to provide a support for these pipes and to permit the insertion through the wall of the caisson, when the concrete caisson is poured, there is provided at the lower end a plurality of the radial pipe receiving openings just above the bottom 4. These openings are designated and are formed by an annular corrugated wall 3Ia. Detachable lplugs 32 retained by a bolt 33 are used to ll the opening temporarily. Before insertion of the pipes, the inner plugs are removed and there is inserted in their place valve pipes 34. Concrete is poured between these pipes and the corrugated liners 3Ia as at 35 to flrmly hold the pipes 34 in place, and thereafter pipes I4 can be put in position. Each pipe 34 is provided with an inner, apertured ange 35 having apertures 31 for receiving retaining bolts to attach the control valve 1 through suitable bolts 38. It will be noted that at this time the control element of valve 1, preferably a gate, is in its outer position so that access can be had to the inside of pipe I4 for the insertion of pipe 8. In order to seal the space between the screened pipe I4 and the valve pipe 34 there is provided a resilient washer 39 through which the bolts 38 pass. This washer is provided with an interiorly disposed skirt 48 which engages with the outer surface of the screened pipe I4 so that a tight seal is effected as the screened pipe is directed downwardly under pressure into the soil. When the screened pipe I4 is eventually pushed outwardly so that its inner end is located as shown in Figure '1 at the point marked 4I, and the pipe 8 removed, then the movable member of valve 1 can become effective and thereafter the valve 1 can function to control the exit of water from the screened pipe into the caisson. There is provided an additional valve 42 in a Y 43 for cleanout purposes. This Y is connected into the pipe 44 which is connected by a, flange 45 through suitable bolts in the ange 46 to the valve 1. The rear end of this pipe 44 is closed with a back plate 41 on which is mounted one of the washer bodies 24 by the bolts 48 sothat the washer seals the water pipe 8 as it is extended and the pipe system cleaned out.. Thereafter, pipe 8 is withdrawn and the pipe I4I may function to deliver water to the caisson.

When the water pipe is removed and the system is in final operation the valve 42, the Y 43 and pipe 44 can be completely removed and the valve 1, now having its control member therein, used' to control the exit of water into the caisson. It will be understood that a variety of mechanisms may be employed-for the accomplishment' of the purposes and objects of this invention and such variations are comprehen'ded, both as' to" mechanism and method, within the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a screened pipe having perforations and a head on one end of said screened pipe, an abutment xed in the pipe adjacent to the inner end of said head `having a central bore tapering inwardly toward the head end of the pipe, a plurality of spaced centrally apertured collars xedly mounted in the pipe behind said apertured abutment, and a slidable pipe adapted to be adjustably positioned within said screened pipe and within said collars in sealing engagement therewith and adapted to abut the periphery of the bore in said abutment in its extreme outer position.

2. In combination, a screened pipe having perforations and a head on one end of said screened pipe, an abutment fixed in t-he pipe adjacent to the inner end of said head having a central bore tapering inwardly toward the head end of the pipe, a plurality of spaced centrally apertured collars flxedly mounted in the pipe behind said apertured abutment, a slidable pipe adapted to be adjustably positioned within said screened pipe and within said collars in sealing engagement therewith and adapted to abut said abutment in its extreme outer position, and sealing means located within said screened pipe and surrounding said water |pipe behind said collars comprising a plurality of spaced annular members having inner and outer flanges projecting toward the -head end of the screened pipe and rigid spaces between and supporting said members.

3. In combination, a caisson, a screened pipe having perforations and a head on the outer end of said screened pipe mounted in the side wall of said caisson, an abutment xed in the pipe adjacent to the inner end of said head and having a central bore, a plurality of spaced centrally apertured collars xedly mounted in the pipe `behind said apertured abutment, a slidable pipe adapted to be adjustably positioned within said screened pipe and within said collars in sealing engagement therewith and adapted to abut said abutment in its extreme outer position and to seal about said bore, sealing means located within said screened pipe and surrounding said water pipe behind said collars comprising spaced annular members having inner and outer anges projecting toward the head end of the screened pipe and rigid spaces between and supporting said members to form an adjustable unit, and means to seal said screened pipe with respect to said caisson.

4.111 a water collecting system; a caisson, a screened pipe projecting radially outwardly from said caisson and having a screened head at its outer end, a plurality of spaced apertured supporting collars in said screened pipe, an abutment in the outer end of said -screened pipe adjacent said head and having a conical bore therethrough, the small end of which is toward the said head, a discharge pipe in said screened pipe and having a conical end adapted for sealing engagement with the conical bore in said abutment, said discharge pipe being adjustable axially of said screened pipe, and means sealing between said pipes at their caisson ends.

5. In a water collecting system; a caisson, a screened pipe projecting radially outwardly from said caisson and having a screened head at its outer end, a plurality of spaced apertured supporting collars in said screened pipe, an abutment in the outer end of said screened pipe adjacent said head and having a conical bore therethrough, the small end of which is toward the said head, a discharge pipe in said screened pipe and having a conical end adapted for sealing engagement with the conical bore in said abutment, said discharge pipe being adjustable axially of said screened pipe, and means sealing between said pipes at their caisson ends, said sealing means comprising a plurality of flanged resilient collars, spacers between said flanged collars holding them in spaced relationship, and flanges on said spacers providing support for substantially the entire projected area of said ilanged collars.

6. In a water collecting system; a caisson, a screened pipe projecting outwardly from said caisson and having a screened head at its outer end, a plurality of centrally apertured supporting collars xed in said screened pipe and distributed therealong between the said screened head and the other end of the pipe, an abutment fixed in the outer end of said pipe adjacent the screened head and having a center bore there.

through, a discharge pipe in said screened pipe adjustable axially of the screened pipe and sealingly tting said spaced supporting collars, the outer end of said discharge pipe being adapted for engagement with said abutment so the said pipe communicates through the bore in said abutment with said screened head, and sealingv axially spaced communicating areas, and the step (c) of progressively opening adjacent areas to communication to progressively and cumulatively Withdraw water and fines from within the pipe from the area of furthermost penetration to the area of least penetration.

EUGENE W. SILITCH. ADOLPI-I DAUDIFFRET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,185,582 Bignell May 30, 1916 2,027,653 Roye Jan. 14, 1936 2,126,575 Ranney Aug. 9, 1938 2,126,576 Ranney Aug. 9, 1938 2,383,496 Nebolsine Aug. 28, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES The Worlds Largest Water Well by Leo Ranney; reprint from American Waterworks Assn. Transactions, 1938; received in Patent Oice May 1938, six pages. 

